Land Loans in Texas: How to Get One in 2026 | La Tierra
Aerial view of cleared acreage at Nolan Ranch in Rio Vista, the kind of tract a land loan in Texas or owner financing can buy

Land Loans in Texas: How to Get One, What They Cost, and the Alternative

Down payments of 20 to 50 percent, rates of 7.5 to 11.5 percent, and 10- to 20-year terms: that is how banks price land in 2026, and why most small-tract buyers use the VLB or owner financing.

A land loan in Texas is a loan secured by land alone, and it typically requires 20 to 50 percent down, costs 1 to 3 percentage points more than a mortgage, and runs 10 to 20 years, according to Herring Bank's May 2026 land loan guide. The exceptions are the Texas Veterans Land Board at 5 percent down and owner financing.

The sections below explain how land loans work, what they cost right now, who offers them in Texas, what lenders check, and when owner financing is the better route. La Tierra Realty is an Austin-based land company that sells surveyed, unrestricted 1 to 25 acre tracts in Central and North Texas with owner financing through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261), and figures below come from named 2026 sources so you can compare them against any quote.

What Is a Land Loan in Texas?

A land loan in Texas is a loan secured by a tract of land with no house on it, used to buy raw acreage, an unimproved lot, or an improved lot with utilities at the line. Because there is no home to sell on default, lenders price land with larger down payments, shorter terms, and higher rates than a mortgage.

Lenders sort land into three tiers, and the tier sets the price:

  • Improved lot: Road frontage, electric at the property line, water available, often platted. Cheapest to finance.
  • Unimproved land: Legal access and a survey, but utilities still need to be brought in.
  • Raw land: No utilities, sometimes no survey or graded access. Hardest and most expensive to finance.

Most La Tierra Realty tracts fall in the first two tiers: every tract is surveyed, has legal road access, and has electric available on most lots. That matters because it moves a buyer from the "raw land" pricing column into the "improved lot" column in the tables below.

How Do You Get a Land Loan in Texas?

To get a land loan in Texas, gather the tract's survey and legal description, document your income and credit, choose a lender that writes land loans (Farm Credit, a community bank, or the Texas Veterans Land Board), and budget 20 to 50 percent down. The lender orders an appraisal and title work, then closes in four to eight weeks.

The step-by-step:

  • Step 1: Get the tract documents. A recorded survey or plat, the legal description, and proof of access. Lenders decline landlocked tracts and tracts without a survey.
  • Step 2: Pick a land lender. National mortgage lenders mostly do not finance bare land. Texas Farm Credit, Capital Farm Credit, and rural community banks do. Eligible veterans can use the Texas Veterans Land Board.
  • Step 3: Apply with full financials. Two years of tax returns, pay stubs or profit-and-loss statements, bank statements, and a credit pull. Raw land usually requires a 700+ score, per Mortgage-Info.com's September 2026 guide.
  • Step 4: Appraisal and title. The lender appraises the land only and reviews the title commitment for easements, restrictions, and liens.
  • Step 5: Close. Bring the down payment and closing costs. Payments begin on a 10- to 30-year schedule depending on the lender.

For the full purchase process from contract to deed, read La Tierra's guide on how to buy land in Texas.

What Do Land Loans Cost in 2026?

Land loan rates in Texas in September 2026 run from about 7.5 percent for a well-qualified buyer on an improved lot to more than 11 percent for raw land, against a 30-year mortgage average of 6.95 percent reported by Freddie Mac for the week of September 17, 2026. Down payments run 15 to 50 percent depending on the land tier.

Land typeTypical down paymentTypical rate (Sept 2026)Typical termCredit score
Improved lot (utilities, road, platted)15–25%7.50–8.75%10–20 years660+
Unimproved land (access and survey, no utilities)25–35%8.25–9.75%5–15 years680+
Raw land (no utilities, unplatted)35–50%9.00–11.50%3–10 years, often balloon700+
Texas Veterans Land Board5%7.25% fixed (GLO, Sept 2026)30 yearsCredit review, no fixed score
30-year home mortgage (for comparison)3–20%6.95% (Freddie Mac, Sept 17, 2026)30 years620+ typical

Ranges for the first three rows are from Mortgage-Info.com's September 2026 land loan guide; Herring Bank's May 2026 guide puts community bank portfolio land loans near 7.50 percent and Farm Credit near 7.75 percent for strong borrowers, with 35 to 50 percent down on raw land. A buyer financing a $120,000 tract at a bank asking 30 percent down needs $36,000 at closing before closing costs. La Tierra's guide to down payments on Texas land walks through that math.

Land Loan Options in Texas: Farm Credit, Banks, VLB, and USDA

Texas land buyers have five financing routes: Farm Credit cooperatives, community banks, the Texas Veterans Land Board, USDA Farm Service Agency loans for working farms, and owner financing from the seller. Each has a different borrower in mind, and the table below shows where each one fits.

LenderBest forDown paymentRate and term (2026)Notes
Texas Farm Credit / Capital Farm CreditRural residential, recreational, and ag tractsOften 20–30%About 7.75% for strong borrowers; 20–30 year terms available (Herring Bank, May 2026)Cooperative; Capital Farm Credit returned $100.8 million in cash patronage in March 2026
Community banksLocal buyers with deposits and strong credit20–50%About 7.50%; 10–20 years, sometimes balloonPortfolio loans; terms vary bank to bank
Texas Veterans Land BoardEligible Texas veterans and service members5%7.25% fixed, 30 years (Texas GLO, Sept 2026)Max $200,000; 1+ acre; 60-ft road access; $325 fee
USDA Farm Service AgencyBeginning farmers buying a working farmVaries; 5% under the Down Payment program6.00% direct farm ownership; 2.00% down payment loan (FSA, Sept 1, 2026)Requires a farm business plan; not for residential tracts
Owner financing (La Tierra / Stonebridge Purchasing)Buyers who want a low down payment and a fast closeLow; ask about current termsSet per contract; ask about current termsSurvey and title done; closes in weeks

Farm Credit deserves a closer look for buyers of 10 acres and up. As Capital Farm Credit CEO Jeff Norte put it when announcing the March 2026 patronage distribution, "One of the most meaningful moments of our year is when we're able to give back to the people who make this cooperative what it is." Patronage lowers the effective rate, but it does not lower the down payment.

What Lenders Look For on a Texas Land Loan

Land lenders in Texas underwrite the tract as hard as the borrower. Beyond credit and income, they check legal access, a current survey, utility availability, flood zone, deed restrictions, and the buyer's plan for the land. A tract that fails any of those checks either gets declined or gets priced as raw land.

  • Legal access: Deeded road frontage or a recorded easement. Title companies generally will not insure a landlocked tract.
  • Survey: A recorded survey with a metes-and-bounds description. Unsurveyed land adds weeks and cost.
  • Utilities: Electric at the line and a water source move the tract into a cheaper tier.
  • Flood and title: FEMA flood zone, easements, mineral reservations, and any restrictive covenants on the title commitment's Schedule B.
  • Your plan: A home site closes easier than speculative land. Lenders may ask for a build timeline.
  • Reserves: Cash left after closing. Raw land lenders often want 6 to 12 months of payments in reserve.

La Tierra's guide to raw land mistakes in Texas covers what happens when a buyer skips these checks.

Why Is Owner Financing the Alternative to a Land Loan?

Owner financing replaces the bank with the seller: the buyer signs a promissory note secured by the land, makes a down payment, and pays monthly directly to the seller or its servicer. For small tracts in Texas it is the most common way buyers close, because it removes the 20 to 50 percent bank down payment and the four- to eight-week underwriting cycle.

La Tierra Realty finances its own tracts through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261). Typical La Tierra financing gives the buyer a warranty deed at closing with a note and deed of trust, the same structure a bank uses, rather than a contract for deed. The down payment is low, terms are set per contract, and there is no bank appraisal, because La Tierra already carries the survey and title on every tract. Ask about current terms.

Owner financing is not always cheaper over 30 years than a Farm Credit loan with patronage, and a buyer with 30 percent cash and excellent credit may prefer a bank. La Tierra's comparison of owner financing vs. a bank land loan lays out both columns honestly, and the owner financing guide explains the paperwork.

Which Land Loan Fits Which Buyer

The right land loan in Texas depends on cash on hand, veteran status, and how fast you need to close. Eligible veterans should start with the Texas Veterans Land Board. Buyers with 25 percent or more in cash and strong credit can shop Farm Credit and community banks. Buyers with less cash, or who want a tract under contract this month, usually choose owner financing.

  • Veteran, any budget: VLB at 5 percent down and 7.25 percent fixed, if the tract meets the one-acre and 60-foot access rules.
  • 25%+ down, 10+ acres, strong credit: Farm Credit, especially if you value patronage and a 20- to 30-year term.
  • Less than 20% down, or a fast close: Owner financing on a surveyed, unrestricted tract.
  • Building a house within 12 months: Ask about a construction-to-permanent loan, which can reduce the effective down payment when the land and build close together.

For context on what the tract itself costs, the Texas Real Estate Research Center's second-quarter 2026 report puts statewide rural land at $5,218 per acre and the Austin-Waco-Hill Country region at $8,040 per acre. Small tracts near cities run higher; La Tierra tracts such as Nolan Ranch in Rio Vista (2 to 13+ acres from $89,900, water well included) and Vista Grande in Grandview (2 to 16 acres from $100,000) show current pricing, and every listing on the available properties page can be owner financed.

Skip the 30 Percent Down Payment

Every La Tierra Realty tract is surveyed, has legal access, and is available with owner financing through Stonebridge Purchasing. Tell us your budget and we will show you tracts and current terms. Call (512) 980-1719. Atención en español.

Browse Owner-Financed Land Download the Free Buying Guide

Sources: Herring Bank, Texas Land Loans: How to Finance Raw and Rural Land (May 2026); Mortgage-Info.com, Land Loans 2026: How to Finance Raw Land, Acreage and Vacant Lots (September 2026); Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey (September 17, 2026); Texas General Land Office, Veterans Land Board land loans (September 2026); USDA Farm Service Agency, September 2026 Lending Rates (September 1, 2026); Capital Farm Credit, 2026 patronage announcement (March 20, 2026); Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University, Texas Rural Land Markets Second Quarter 2026 (2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get a land loan with no money down in Texas?

Rarely. Conventional land lenders in Texas ask for 20 to 50 percent down depending on whether the tract has utilities and access, according to Herring Bank's May 2026 guide. The Texas Veterans Land Board allows 5 percent down for eligible veterans, and USDA site loans exist for a few rural cases. Owner financing usually requires the smallest down payment for non-veterans.

How long does it take to close a land loan in Texas?

Plan on four to eight weeks for a bank or Farm Credit land loan, driven by the appraisal, survey review, and title work. Texas Veterans Land Board loans take about 45 to 60 days after a tract is under contract. Owner-financed purchases from a seller with surveys and title already in hand often close in two to four weeks.

Does Farm Credit finance small tracts for non-farmers?

Yes. Texas Farm Credit and Capital Farm Credit both finance rural residential and recreational tracts, not just working farms. As cooperatives they pay patronage back to borrowers; Capital Farm Credit returned $100.8 million in cash patronage in March 2026. Minimum acreage and down payment vary by association, so ask the local branch before you assume a small lot qualifies.

Is a land loan the same as a construction loan?

No. A land loan finances the dirt only. A construction loan finances the building and usually converts to a mortgage when the house is finished. Some lenders offer a construction-to-permanent loan that rolls the land, the build, and the mortgage into one closing, which can cut the down payment, but it requires plans and a builder contract up front.

What credit score do you need for a land loan in Texas?

Most Texas land lenders want a 660 or higher score for an improved lot and 700 or higher for raw land, per Mortgage-Info.com's September 2026 land loan guide. The Texas Veterans Land Board reviews credit history rather than setting a fixed score. Owner financing is underwritten by the seller or its servicer, so ask about current terms rather than assuming a cutoff.

This article is general information for Texas land buyers and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Lender rates, down payments, and credit requirements change and vary by borrower and tract — confirm current terms with the lender, and ask La Tierra about current owner-financing terms before you buy.

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